Article 2. Small Employer Carrier Requirements of California Insurance Code >> Division 2. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 8. >> Article 2.

All carriers writing, issuing, or administering health benefit plans that cover employees of small employers shall be subject to this chapter if any one of the following conditions are met:
  (a) Any portion of the premium for any health benefit plan or benefits is paid by a small employer, or any covered individual is reimbursed, whether through wage adjustments or otherwise, by a small employer for any portion of the premium.
  (b) The health benefit plan is treated by the small employer or any of the covered individuals as part of a plan or program for the purposes of Section 106 or 162 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Any person or entity subject to the requirements of this chapter shall comply with the standards set forth in Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 3750) of Part 1 of Division 9 of the Family Code and Section 14124.94 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

The commissioner shall have the authority to determine whether a health benefit plan is covered by this chapter, and to determine whether an employer is a small employer within the meaning of Section 10700.

The commissioner may issue regulations that are necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter. Prior to the public comment period required on the regulations under the Administrative Procedure Act, the commissioner shall provide the Director of the Department of Managed Health Care with a copy of the proposed regulations. The Director of the Department of Managed Health Care shall have 30 days to notify the commissioner in writing of any comments on the regulations. The Director of the Department of Managed Health Care's comments shall be included in the public notice issued on the regulations. Any rules and regulations issued pursuant to this subdivision may be adopted as emergency regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code). Until December 31, 1994, the adoption of these regulations shall be deemed an emergency and necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or general welfare. The regulations shall be enforced by the director.

Upon the effective date of this act:
  (a) No group or individual policy or contract or certificate of group insurance or statement of group coverage providing benefits to employees of small employers as defined in this chapter shall be issued or delivered by a carrier subject to the jurisdiction of the commissioner regardless of the situs of the contract or master policyholder or of the domicile of the carrier nor, except as otherwise provided in Sections 10270.91 and 10270.92, shall a carrier provide coverage subject to this chapter until a copy of the form of the policy, contract, certificate, or statement of coverage is filed with and approved by the commissioner in accordance with Sections 10290 and 10291, and the carrier has complied with the requirements of Section 10717.
  (b) (1) Each carrier, except a self-funded employer, shall fairly and affirmatively offer, market, and sell all of the carrier's benefit plan designs that are sold to, offered through, or sponsored by, small employers or associations that include small employers to all small employers in each geographic region in which the carrier makes coverage available or provides benefits.
  (2) A carrier contracting to participate in the Voluntary Alliance Uniting Employers Purchasing Program shall be deemed to be in compliance with paragraph (1) for a benefit plan design offered through the program in those geographic regions in which the carrier participates in the program and the benefit plan design is offered exclusively through the program.
  (3) (A) A carrier shall be deemed to meet the requirements of paragraph (1) and subdivision (c) with respect to a benefit plan design that qualifies as a grandfathered health plan under Section 1251 of PPACA if all of the following requirements are met:
  (i) The carrier offers to renew the benefit plan design, unless the carrier withdraws the benefit plan design from the small employer market pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 10713.
  (ii) The carrier provides appropriate notice of the grandfathered status of the benefit plan design in any materials provided to an insured of the design describing the benefits provided under the design, as required under PPACA.
  (iii) The carrier makes no changes to the benefits covered under the benefit plan design other than those required by a state or federal law, regulation, rule, or guidance and those permitted to be made to a grandfathered health plan under PPACA.
  (B) For purposes of this paragraph, "PPACA" means the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148), as amended by the federal Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-152), and any rules, regulations, or guidance issued thereunder. For purposes of this paragraph, a "grandfathered health plan" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1251 of PPACA.
  (4) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require an association, or a trust established and maintained by an association to receive a master insurance policy issued by an admitted insurer and to administer the benefits thereof solely for association members, to offer, market or sell a benefit plan design to those who are not members of the association. However, if the association markets, offers or sells a benefit plan design to those who are not members of the association it is subject to the requirements of this section. This shall apply to an association that otherwise meets the requirements of paragraph (8) formed by merger of two or more associations after January 1, 1992, if the predecessor organizations had been in active existence on January 1, 1992, and for at least five years prior to that date and met the requirements of paragraph (5).
  (5) A carrier which (A) effective January 1, 1992, and at least 20 years prior to that date, markets, offers, or sells benefit plan designs only to all members of one association and (B) does not market, offer or sell any other individual, selected group, or group policy or contract providing medical, hospital and surgical benefits shall not be required to market, offer, or sell to those who are not members of the association. However, if the carrier markets, offers or sells any benefit plan design or any other individual, selected group, or group policy or contract providing medical, hospital and surgical benefits to those who are not members of the association it is subject to the requirements of this section.
  (6) Each carrier that sells health benefit plans to members of one association pursuant to paragraph (5) shall submit an annual statement to the commissioner which states that the carrier is selling health benefit plans pursuant to paragraph (5) and which, for the one association, lists all the information required by paragraph (7).
  (7) Each carrier that sells health benefit plans to members of any association shall submit an annual statement to the commissioner which lists each association to which the carrier sells health benefit plans, the industry or profession which is served by the association, the association's membership criteria, a list of officers, the state in which the association is organized, and the site of its principal office.
  (8) For purposes of paragraphs (4) and (5), an association is a nonprofit organization comprised of a group of individuals or employers who associate based solely on participation in a specified profession or industry, accepting for membership any individual or small employer meeting its membership criteria, which do not condition membership directly or indirectly on the health or claims history of any person, which uses membership dues solely for and in consideration of the membership and membership benefits, except that the amount of the dues shall not depend on whether the member applies for or purchases insurance offered by the association, which is organized and maintained in good faith for purposes unrelated to insurance, which has been in active existence on January 1, 1992, and at least five years prior to that date, which has a constitution and bylaws, or other analogous governing documents which provide for election of the governing board of the association by its members, which has contracted with one or more carriers to offer one or more health benefit plans to all individual members and small employer members in this state.
  (c) Each carrier shall make available to each small employer all benefit plan designs that the carrier offers or sells to small employers or to associations that include small employers. Notwithstanding subdivision (d) of Section 10700, for purposes of this subdivision, companies that are affiliated companies or that are eligible to file a consolidated income tax return shall be treated as one carrier.
  (d) Each carrier shall do all of the following:
  (1) Prepare a brochure that summarizes all of its benefit plan designs and make this summary available to small employers, agents and brokers upon request. The summary shall include for each benefit plan design information on benefits provided, a generic description of the manner in which services are provided, such as how access to providers is limited, benefit limitations, required copayments and deductibles, standard employee risk rates, an explanation of how creditable coverage is calculated if a preexisting condition or affiliation period is imposed, and a telephone number that can be called for more detailed benefit information. Carriers are required to keep the information contained in the brochure accurate and up to date, and, upon updating the brochure, send copies to agents and brokers representing the carrier. Any entity that provides administrative services only with regard to a benefit plan design written or issued by another carrier shall not be required to prepare a summary brochure which includes that benefit plan design.
  (2) For each benefit plan design, prepare a more detailed evidence of coverage and make it available to small employers, agents and brokers upon request. The evidence of coverage shall contain all information that a prudent buyer would need to be aware of in making selections of benefit plan designs. An entity that provides administrative services only with regard to a benefit plan design written or issued by another carrier shall not be required to prepare an evidence of coverage for that benefit plan design.
  (3) Provide to small employers, agents, and brokers, upon request, for any given small employer the sum of the standard employee risk rates and the sum of the risk adjusted standard employee risk rates. When requesting this information, small employers, agents and brokers shall provide the carrier with the information the carrier needs to determine the small employer's risk adjusted employee risk rate.
  (4) Provide copies of the current summary brochure to all agents or brokers who represent the carrier and, upon updating the brochure, send copies of the updated brochure to agents and brokers representing the carrier for the purpose of selling health benefit plans.
  (5) Notwithstanding subdivision (d) of Section 10700, for purposes of this subdivision, companies that are affiliated companies or that are eligible to file a consolidated income tax return shall be treated as one carrier.
  (e) Every agent or broker representing one or more carriers for the purpose of selling health benefit plans to small employers shall do all of the following:
  (1) When providing information on a health benefit plan to a small employer but making no specific recommendations on particular benefit plan designs:
  (A) Advise the small employer of the carrier's obligation to sell to any small employer any of the benefit plan designs it offers to small employers and provide them, upon request, with the actual rates that would be charged to that employer for a given benefit plan design.
  (B) Notify the small employer that the agent or broker will procure rate and benefit information for the small employer on any benefit plan design offered by a carrier for whom the agent or broker sells health benefit plans.
  (C) Notify the small employer that, upon request, the agent or broker will provide the small employer with the summary brochure required in paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) for any benefit plan design offered by a carrier whom the agent or broker represents.
  (2) When recommending a particular benefit plan design or designs, advise the small employer that, upon request, the agent will provide the small employer with the brochure required by paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) containing the benefit plan design or designs being recommended by the agent or broker.
  (3) Prior to filing an application for a small employer for a particular health benefit plan:
  (A) For each of the benefit plan designs offered by the carrier whose benefit plan design the agent or broker is presenting, provide the small employer with the benefit summary required in paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) and the sum of the standard employee risk rates for that particular employer.
  (B) Notify the small employer that, upon request, the agent or broker will provide the small employer with an evidence of coverage brochure for each benefit plan design the carrier offers.
  (C) Notify the small employer that, from July 1, 1993, to July 1, 1996, actual rates may be 20 percent higher or lower than the sum of the standard employee risk rates, and from July 1, 1996, and thereafter, actual rates may be 10 percent higher or lower than the sum of the standard employee risk rates depending on how the carrier assesses the risk of the small employer's group.
  (D) Notify the small employer that, upon request, the agent or broker will submit information to the carrier to ascertain the small employer's sum of the risk adjusted standard employee risk rate for any benefit plan design the carrier offers.
  (E) Obtain a signed statement from the small employer acknowledging that the small employer has received the disclosures required by this paragraph and Section 10716.
  (f) No carrier, agent, or broker shall induce or otherwise encourage a small employer to separate or otherwise exclude an eligible employee from a health benefit plan which, in the case of an eligible employee meeting the definition in paragraph (1) of subdivision (f) of Section 10700, is provided in connection with the employee's employment or which, in the case of an eligible employee as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (f) of Section 17000, is provided in connection with a guaranteed association.
  (g) No carrier shall reject an application from a small employer for a benefit plan design provided:
  (1) The small employer as defined by paragraph (1) of subdivision (w) of Section 10700 offers health benefits to 100 percent of its eligible employees as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (f) of Section 10700. Employees who waive coverage on the grounds that they have other group coverage shall not be counted as eligible employees.
  (2) The small employer agrees to make the required premium payments.
  (h) No carrier or agent or broker shall, directly or indirectly, engage in the following activities:
  (1) Encourage or direct small employers to refrain from filing an application for coverage with a carrier because of the health status, claims experience, industry, occupation, or geographic location within the carrier's approved service area of the small employer or the small employer's employees.
  (2) Encourage or direct small employers to seek coverage from another carrier or the program because of the health status, claims experience, industry, occupation, or geographic location within the carrier's approved service area of the small employer or the small employer's employees.
  (i) No carrier shall, directly or indirectly, enter into any contract, agreement, or arrangement with an agent or broker that provides for or results in the compensation paid to an agent or broker for a health benefit plan to be varied because of the health status, claims experience, industry, occupation, or geographic location of the small employer or the small employer's employees. This subdivision shall not apply with respect to a compensation arrangement that provides compensation to an agent or broker on the basis of percentage of premium, provided that the percentage shall not vary because of the health status, claims experience, industry, occupation, or geographic area of the small employer.
  (j) Except in the case of a late insured, or for satisfaction of a preexisting condition clause in the case of initial coverage of an eligible employee, a disability insurer may not exclude any eligible employee or dependent who would otherwise be entitled to health care services on the basis of any of the following: the health status, the medical condition, including both physical and mental illnesses, the claims experience, the medical history, the genetic information, or the disability or evidence of insurability, including conditions arising out of acts of domestic violence of that employee or dependent. No health benefit plan may limit or exclude coverage for a specific eligible employee or dependent by type of illness, treatment, medical condition, or accident, except for preexisting conditions as permitted by Section 10198.7 or 10708.
  (k) If a carrier enters into a contract, agreement, or other arrangement with a third-party administrator or other entity to provide administrative, marketing, or other services related to the offering of health benefit plans to small employers in this state, the third-party administrator shall be subject to this chapter.
  (l) (1) With respect to the obligation to provide coverage newly issued under subdivision (d), the carrier may cease enrolling new small employer groups and new eligible employees as defined by paragraph (2) of subdivision (f) of Section 10700 if it certifies to the commissioner that the number of eligible employees and dependents, of the employers newly enrolled or insured during the current calendar year by the carrier equals or exceeds: (A) in the case of a carrier that administers any self-funded health benefits arrangement in California, 10 percent of the total number of eligible employees, or eligible employees and dependents, respectively, enrolled or insured in California by that carrier as of December 31 of the preceding year, or (B) in the case of a carrier that does not administer any self-funded health benefit arrangements in California, 8 percent of the total number of eligible employees, or eligible employees and dependents, respectively, enrolled or insured by the carrier in California as of December 31 of the preceding year.
  (2) Certification shall be deemed approved if not disapproved within 45 days after submission to the commissioner. If that certification is approved, the small employer carrier shall not offer coverage to any small employers under any health benefit plans during the remainder of the current year. If the certification is not approved, the carrier shall continue to issue coverage as required by subdivision (d) and be subject to administrative penalties as established in Section 10718.

(a) Between July 26, 1993, and October 24, 1993, as well as 60 days prior to the expiration of an existing contract that expires prior to July 1, 1994, or, for contracts expiring after July 1, 1994, 60 days prior to July 1, 1994, an association that meets the definition of guaranteed association, as set forth in Section 10700, except for the requirement that 1,000 persons be covered, shall be entitled to purchase small employer health coverage as if the association were a guaranteed association, except that the coverage shall be guaranteed only for those members of an association, as defined in Section 10700, (1) who were receiving coverage or had successfully applied for coverage through the association as of June 30, 1993, (2) who were receiving coverage through the association as of December 31, 1992, and whose coverage lapsed at any time thereafter because the employment through which coverage was received ended or an employer's contribution to health coverage ended, or (3) who were covered at any time between June 30, 1993, and July 1, 1994, under a contract that was in force on June 30 1993.
  (b) An association obtaining health coverage for its members pursuant to this section shall otherwise be afforded all the rights of a guaranteed association under this chapter including, but not limited to, guaranteed renewability of coverage.
  (c) No later than August 25, 1993, carriers that, at any time during the 1993 calendar year have provided coverage to associations that would be eligible for coverage under this section shall notify those associations of their rights under this section. Ninety days prior to the expiration of a contract that expires prior to July 1, 1994, or, for contracts expiring after July 1, 1994, 90 days prior to July 1, 1994, carriers that have in force coverage with an association that would be eligible for coverage under this section shall notify the association of its rights under this section.

Every carrier shall file with the commissioner the reasonable participation requirements and employer contribution requirements that are to be included in its health benefit plans. Participation requirements shall be applied uniformly among all small employer groups, except that a carrier may vary application of minimum employer participation requirements by the size of the small employer group and whether the employer contributes 100 percent of the eligible employee's premium. Employer contribution requirements shall not vary by employer size. A carrier shall not establish a participation requirement that (1) requires a person who meets the definition of a dependent in subdivision (e) of Section 10700 to enroll as a dependent if he or she is otherwise eligible for coverage and wishes to enroll as an eligible employee and (2) allows a carrier to reject an otherwise eligible small employer because of the number of persons that waive coverage due to coverage through another employer. Members of an association eligible for health coverage eligible under subdivision (z) of Section 10700 but not electing any health coverage through the association shall not be counted as eligible employees for purposes of determining whether the guaranteed association meets a carrier's reasonable participation standards.

(a) After a small employer submits a completed application, the carrier shall, within 30 days notify the employer of the employer's actual rates in accordance with Section 10714. The employer shall have 30 days in which to exercise the right to buy coverage at the quoted rates.
  (b) When a small employer submits a premium payment, based on the quoted rates, and that payment is delivered or postmarked, whichever occurs earlier, within the first 15 days of a month, coverage shall become effective no later than the first day of the following month. When that payment is neither delivered nor postmarked until after the 15th day of a month, coverage shall become effective no later than the first day of the second month following delivery or postmark of the payment.
  (c) During the first 30 days of coverage, the small employer shall have the option of changing coverage to a different benefit plan design offered by the same carrier. If a small employer notifies the carrier of the change within the first 15 days of a month, coverage under the new benefit plan design shall become effective no later than the first day of the following month. If a small employer notifies the carrier of the change after the 15th day of a month, coverage under the new benefit plan design shall become effective no later than the first day of the second month following notification.
  (d) All eligible employees and dependents listed on the small employer's completed application shall be covered on the effective date of the health benefit plan.

Except in the case of a late enrollee, or for satisfaction of a preexisting condition clause in the case of initial coverage of an eligible employee, a carrier may not exclude any eligible employee or dependent who would otherwise be covered, on the basis of an actual or expected health condition of that employee or dependent. No health benefit plan may limit or exclude coverage for a specific eligible employee or dependent by type of illness, treatment, medical condition, or accident, except for preexisting conditions as permitted by Section 10708.

(a) (1) Preexisting condition provisions of health benefit plans shall not exclude coverage for a period beyond six months following the individual's effective date of coverage and may only relate to conditions for which medical advice, diagnosis, care, or treatment, including the use of prescription medications, was recommended by or received from a licensed health practitioner during the six months immediately preceding the effective date of coverage.
  (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a health benefit plan offered to a small employer shall not impose any preexisting condition provision upon any child under 19 years of age.
  (b) A carrier that does not utilize a preexisting condition provision may impose a waiting or affiliation period, not to exceed 60 days, before the coverage issued subject to this chapter shall become effective. During the waiting or affiliation period, the carrier is not required to provide health care benefits and no premiums shall be charged to the subscriber or enrollee.
  (c) In determining whether a preexisting condition provision or a waiting period applies to any person, a plan shall credit the time the person was covered under creditable coverage, provided the person becomes eligible for coverage under the succeeding plan contract within 62 days of termination of prior coverage, exclusive of any waiting or affiliation period, and applies for coverage with the succeeding health benefit plan contract within the applicable enrollment period. A plan shall also credit any time an eligible employee must wait before enrolling in the health benefit plan, including any postenrollment or employer-imposed waiting or affiliation period. However, if a person's employment has ended, the availability of health coverage offered through employment or sponsored by an employer has terminated, or an employer's contribution toward health coverage has terminated, a plan shall credit the time the person was covered under creditable coverage if the person becomes eligible for health coverage offered through employment or sponsored by an employer within 180 days, exclusive of any waiting or affiliation period, and applies for coverage under the succeeding health benefit plan within the applicable enrollment period.
  (d) Group health benefit plans may not impose a preexisting conditions exclusion to a condition relating to benefits for pregnancy or maternity care.
  (e) A carrier providing aggregate or specific stop loss coverage or any other assumption of risk with reference to a health benefit plan shall provide that the plan meets all requirements of this section concerning preexisting condition provisions and waiting or affiliation periods.
  (f) In addition to the preexisting condition exclusions authorized by subdivision (a) and the waiting or affiliation period authorized by subdivision (b), carriers providing coverage to a guaranteed association may impose on employers or individuals purchasing coverage who would not be eligible for guaranteed coverage if they were not purchasing through the association a waiting or affiliation period, not to exceed 60 days, before the coverage issued subject to this chapter shall become effective. During the waiting or affiliation period, the carrier is not required to provide health care benefits and no premiums shall be charged to the insured.

(a) No health benefit plan may exclude late enrollees from coverage for more than 12 months from the date of the late enrollee's application for coverage. No premiums shall be charged to the late enrollee until the exclusion period has ended.
  (b) A carrier providing aggregate or specific stop loss coverage or any other assumption of risk with reference to a health benefit plan shall provide that the plan meets all requirements of this section concerning late enrollees.

No carrier shall be required by the provisions of this chapter:
  (a) To offer coverage to, or accept applications from, a small employer as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (w) of Section 10700, where the small employer is not physically located in a carrier's approved service areas.
  (b) To offer coverage to or accept applications from a small employer as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (w) of Section 10700 where the small employer is seeking coverage for eligible employees who do not work or reside in a carrier's approved service areas.
  (c) To include in a health benefits plan an otherwise eligible employee or dependent, when the eligible employee or dependent does not work or reside within a carrier's approved service area, except as provided in Section 10702.1.
  (d) To offer coverage to, or accept applications from, a small employer for a benefits plan design within an area if the commissioner has found that the carrier will not have the capacity within the area in its network of providers to deliver service adequately to the eligible employees and dependents of that employee because of its obligations to existing group contractholders and enrollees and that the action is not unreasonable or clearly inconsistent with the intent of this chapter. A carrier that cannot offer coverage to small employers in a specific service area because it is lacking sufficient capacity may not offer coverage in the applicable area to new employer groups with more than 50 eligible employees until the carrier notifies the commissioner that it has regained capacity to deliver services to small employers, and certifies to the commissioner that from the date of the notice it will enroll all small groups requesting coverage from the carrier until the carrier has met the requirements of subdivision (h) of Section 10705.
  (e) To offer coverage to a small employer, or an eligible employee as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (g) of Section 10700, who within 12 months of application for coverage terminated from a health benefit plan offered by the carrier.

(a) A carrier shall not be required to offer coverage or accept applications for benefit plan designs pursuant to this chapter where the commissioner determines that the acceptance of an application or applications would place the carrier in a financially impaired condition.
  (b) The commissioner's determination shall follow an evaluation that includes a certification by the commissioner that the acceptance of an application or applications would place the carrier in a financially impaired condition.
  (c) A carrier that has not offered coverage or accepted applications pursuant to this chapter shall not offer coverage or accept applications for any individual or group health benefit plan until the commissioner has determined that the carrier has ceased to be financially impaired.

All health benefit plans written, issued, or administered by carriers on or after the effective date of this chapter, and all health benefit plans in force on or after the effective date of this chapter shall be renewable with respect to all eligible employees or dependents at the option of the policyholder, contractholder, or small employer except as follows:
  (a) (1) For nonpayment of the required premiums by the policyholder, contractholder, or small employer, if the policyholder, contractholder, or small employer has been duly notified and billed for the charge and at least a 30-day grace period has elapsed since the date of notification or, if longer, the period of time required for notice and any other requirements pursuant to Section 2703, 2712, or 2742 of the federal Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. Secs. 300gg-2, 300gg-12, and 300gg-42) and any subsequent rules or regulations has elapsed.
  (2) An insurer shall continue to provide coverage as required by the policyholder's, contractholder's, or small employer's policy during the period described in paragraph (1). Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect or impair the policyholder's, contractholder's, small employer's, or insurer's other rights and responsibilities pursuant to the subscriber contract.
  (b) If the insurer demonstrates fraud or an intentional misrepresentation of material fact under the terms of the policy by the policyholder, contractholder, or small employer or, with respect to coverage of individual enrollees, the enrollees or their representative.
  (c) Violation of a material contract provision relating to employer contribution or group participation rates by the policyholder, contractholder, or small employer.
  (d) When the carrier ceases to write, issue, or administer new small employer health benefit plans in this state, provided, however, that the following conditions are satisfied:
  (1) Notice of the decision to cease writing, issuing, or administering new or existing small employer health benefits plans in this state is provided to the commissioner, and to either the policyholder, contractholder, or small employer at least 180 days prior to the discontinuation of the coverage.
  (2) Small employer health benefit plans subject to this chapter shall not be canceled for 180 days after the date of the notice required under paragraph (1). For that business of a carrier that remains in force, any carrier that ceases to write, issue, or administer new health benefit plans shall continue to be governed by this chapter.
  (3) Except in the case where a certification has been approved pursuant to subdivision (l) of Section 10705 or the commissioner has made a determination pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 10712, a carrier that ceases to write, issue, or administer new health benefit plans to small employers in this state after the passage of this chapter shall be prohibited from writing, issuing, or administering new health benefit plans to small employers in this state for a period of five years from the date of notice to the commissioner.
  (e) When a carrier withdraws a benefit plan design from the small employer market, provided that the carrier notifies all affected policyholders, contractholders, or small employers and the commissioner at least 90 days prior to the discontinuation of those contracts, and that the carrier makes available to the small employer all small employer benefit plan designs which it markets and satisfies the requirements of paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 10714.
  (f) If coverage is made available through a bona fide association pursuant to subdivision (w) of Section 10700 or a guaranteed association pursuant to subdivision (y) of Section 10700, the membership of the employer or the individual, respectively, ceases, but only if that coverage is terminated under this subdivision uniformly without regard to any health status-related factor of covered individuals.

Premiums for benefit plan designs written, issued, or administered by carriers on or after the effective date of this act, shall be subject to the following requirements:
  (a) (1) The premium for new business shall be determined for an eligible employee in a particular risk category after applying a risk adjustment factor to the carrier's standard employee risk rates. The risk adjusted employee risk rate may not be more than 120 percent or less than 80 percent of the carrier's applicable standard employee risk rate until July 1, 1996. Effective July 1, 1996, the risk adjusted employee risk rate may not be more than 110 percent or less than 90 percent.
  (2) The premium charged a small employer for new business shall be equal to the sum of the risk adjusted employee risk rates.
  (3) The standard employee risk rates applied to a small employer for new business shall be in effect for no less than six months.
  (b) (1) The premium for in force business shall be determined for an eligible employee in a particular risk category after applying a risk adjustment factor to the carrier's standard employee risk rates. The risk adjusted employee risk rates may not be more than 120 percent or less than 80 percent of the carrier's applicable standard employee risk rate until July 1, 1996. Effective July 1, 1996, the risk adjusted employee risk rate may not be more than 110 percent or less than 90 percent. The factor effective July 1, 1996, shall apply to in force business at the earlier of either the time of renewal or July 1, 1997. The risk adjustment factor applied to a small employer may not increase by more than 10 percentage points from the risk adjustment factor applied in the prior rating period. The risk adjustment factor for a small employer may not be modified more frequently than every 12 months.
  (2) The premium charged a small employer for in force business shall be equal to the sum of the risk adjusted employee risk rates. The standard employee risk rates shall be in effect for no less than six months.
  (3) For a benefit plan design that a carrier has discontinued offering, the risk adjustment factor applied to the standard employee risk rates for the first rating period of the new benefit plan design that the small employer elects to purchase shall be no greater than the risk adjustment factor applied in the prior rating period to the discontinued benefit plan design. However, the risk adjusted employee rate may not be more than 120 percent or less than 80 percent of the carrier's applicable standard employee risk rate until July 1, 1996. Effective July 1, 1996, the risk adjusted employee risk rate may not be more than 110 percent or less than 90 percent. The factor effective July 1, 1996, shall apply to in force business at the earlier of either the time of renewal or July 1, 1997. The risk adjustment factor for a small employer may not be modified more frequently than every 12 months.
  (c) (1) For any small employer, a carrier may, with the consent of the small employer, establish composite employee and dependent rates for either new business or renewal of in force business. The composite rates shall be determined as the average of the risk adjusted employee risk rates for the small employer, as determined in accordance with the requirements of subdivisions (a) and (b). The sum of the composite rates so determined shall be equal to the sum of the risk adjusted employee risk rates for the small employer.
  (2) The composite rates shall be used for all employees and dependents covered throughout a rating period of no less than six months, nor more than 12 months, except that a carrier may reserve the right to redetermine the composite rates if the enrollment under the health benefit plan changes by more than a specified percentage during the rating period. Any redetermination of the composite rates shall be based on the same risk adjusted employee risk rates used to determine the initial composite rates for the rating period. If a carrier reserves the right to redetermine the rates and the enrollment changes more than the specified percentage, the carrier shall redetermine the composite rates if the redetermined rates would result in a lower premium for the small employer. A carrier reserving the right to redetermine the composite rates based upon a change in enrollment shall use the same specified percentage to measure that change with respect to all small employers electing composite rates.

Carriers shall apply standard employee risk rates consistently with respect to all small employers.

In connection with the offering for sale of any benefit plan design to small employers: Each carrier shall make a reasonable disclosure, as part of its solicitation and sales materials, of the following:
  (a) The extent to which the premium rates for a specified small employer are established or adjusted in part based upon the actual or expected variation in claims costs or actual or expected variation in health conditions of the employees and dependents of the small employer.
  (b) The provisions concerning the carrier's ability to change premium rates and the factors other than claim experience which affect changes in premium rates.
  (c) Provisions relating to the guaranteed issue of policies and contracts.
  (d) Provisions relating to the effect of any preexisting condition provision.
  (e) Provisions relating to the small employer's right to apply for any benefit plan design written, issued, or administered by the carrier at the time of application for a new health benefit plan, or at the time of renewal of a health benefit plan.
  (f) The availability, upon request, of a listing of all the carrier's benefit plan designs, including the rates for each benefit plan design.

(a) No carrier shall provide or renew coverage subject to this chapter until it has done all of the following:
  (1) A statement has been filed with the commissioner listing all of the carrier's benefit plan designs currently in force that are offered or proposed to be offered for sale in this state, identified by form number, and, if previously approved by the commissioner, the date approved by the commissioner as well as the standard employee risk rate for each risk category for each benefit plan design and the highest and lowest risk adjustment factors that the carrier intends to use in determining rates for each benefit plan design. When filing a new benefit plan design pursuant to Section 10705, carriers may submit both the policy form and the standard employee risk rates for each risk category at the same time.
  (2) Either:
  (A) Thirty days expires after that statement is filed without written notice from the commissioner specifying the reasons for his or her opinion that the carrier's risk categories or risk adjustment factors do no comply with the requirements of this chapter.
  (B) Prior to that time the commissioner gives the carrier written notice that the carrier's risk categories and risk adjustment factors as filed comply with the requirements of this chapter.
  (b) No carrier shall issue, deliver, renew, or revise a benefit plan design lawfully provided pursuant to subdivision (a), and no carrier shall change the risk categories, risk adjustment factors, or standard employee risk rates for any benefit plan design until all of the following requirements are met:
  (1) The carrier files with the commissioner a statement of the specific changes which the carrier proposes in the risk categories, risk adjustment factors, or standard employee risk rates.
  (2) Either:
  (A) Thirty days expires after such statement is filed without written notice from the commissioner specifying the reasons for his or her opinion that the carrier's risk categories or risk adjustment factors do not comply with the requirements of this chapter.
  (B) Prior to that time the commissioner gives the carrier written notice that the carrier's risk categories and risk adjustment factors as filed comply with the requirements of this chapter.
  (c) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, when a carrier is changing the standard employee risk rates of a benefit plan design lawfully provided under (a) or (b) above but is not changing the risk categories or risk adjustment factors which have been previously authorized, the carrier need not comply with the requirements of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), but instead shall submit the revised standard employee risk rates for the benefit plan design prior to offering or renewing the benefit plan design.
  (d) When submitting filings under subdivision (a), (b), or (c), a carrier may also file with the commissioner at the time of the filings a statement of the standard employee risk rate for each risk category the carrier intends to use for each month in the 12 months subsequent to the date of the filing. Once the requirements of the applicable subdivision (a), (b), or (c), have been met, these rates shall be used by the carrier for the 12-month period unless the carrier is otherwise informed by the commissioner in his or her response to the filings submitted under subdivision (a), (b), or (c), provided that any subsequent change in the standard employee risk rates charged by the carrier which differ from those previously filed with the commissioner must be newly filed in accordance with this subdivision and provided that the carrier does not change the risk categories or risk adjustment factors for the benefit plan design.
  (e) If the commissioner notifies the carrier, in writing, that the carrier's risk categories or risk adjustment factors do not comply with the requirements of this chapter, specifying the reasons for his or her opinion, it is unlawful for the carrier, at any time after the receipt of such notice, to utilize the noncomplying health benefit plan, benefit plan design, risk categories, or risk adjustment factors in conjunction with the health benefit plans or benefit plan designs for which the filing was made.
  (f) Each carrier shall maintain at its principal place of business copies of all information required to be filed with the commissioner pursuant to this section.
  (g) Each carrier shall make the information and documentation described in this section available to the commissioner upon request.
  (h) Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit the commissioner to establish or approve the rates charged to policyholders for health benefit plans.

(a) In addition to any other remedy permitted by law, the commissioner shall have the administrative authority to assess penalties against carriers, insurance producers, and other entities engaged in the business of insurance or other persons or entities for violations of this chapter.
  (b) Upon a showing of a violation of this chapter in any civil action, a court may also assess the penalties described in this chapter, in addition to any other remedies provided by law.
  (c) Any production agent or other person or entity engaged in the business of insurance, other than a carrier, that violates this chapter is liable for administrative penalties of not more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) for the first violation.
  (d) Any production agent or other person or entity engaged in the business of insurance, other than a carrier, that engages in practices prohibited by this chapter a second or subsequent time, or who commits a knowing violation of this chapter, is liable for administrative penalties of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) and not more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) for each violation.
  (e) Any carrier that violates this chapter is liable for administrative penalties of not more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) for the first violation and not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000) for each subsequent violation.
  (f) Any carrier that violates this chapter with a frequency that indicates a general business practice or commits a knowing violation of this chapter, is liable for administrative penalties of not less than fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) and not more than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for each violation.
  (g) An act or omission that is inadvertent and that results in incorrect premium rates being charged to more than one policyholder shall be a single violation for the purpose of this section.

(a) (1) In addition to any other remedy permitted by law, whenever the commissioner shall have reason to believe that any carrier, production agent, or other person or entity engaged in the business of insurance has violated this chapter, and that a proceeding by the commissioner in respect thereto would be in the interest of the public, the commissioner may issue and serve upon that entity an order to show cause containing a statement of the charges, a statement of the entity's potential liability under this chapter, and a notice of a public hearing thereon before the Administrative Law Bureau of the department to be held at a time and place fixed therein, which shall not be less than 30 days after the service thereof, for the purpose of determining whether the commissioner should issue an order to that entity to pay the penalty imposed by this chapter and such order or orders as shall be reasonably necessary to correct, eliminate, or remedy the alleged violations of this chapter, including, but not limited to, an order to cease and desist from the specified violations of this chapter.
  (2) The hearings provided by this subdivision shall be conducted in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, and the commissioner shall have all the powers granted therein.
  (b) (1) Whenever it appears to the commissioner that irreparable loss and injury has occurred or may occur to an insured, employer, employee, or other member of the public because a carrier, production agent, or other person or entity engaged in the business of insurance has violated this chapter, the commissioner may, before hearing, but after notice and opportunity to submit relevant information, issue and cause to be served upon the entity such order or orders as shall be reasonably necessary to correct, eliminate, or remedy the alleged violations of this chapter, including, but not limited to, an order requiring the entity to forthwith cease and desist from engaging further in the violations which are causing or may cause such irreparable injury.
  (2) At the same time an order is served pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subdivision, the commissioner shall issue and also serve upon the person a notice of public hearing before the Administrative Law Bureau of the department to be held at a time and place fixed therein, which shall not be less than 30 days after the service thereof.
  (3) The hearings provided by this subdivision shall be conducted in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, and the commissioner shall have all the powers granted therein.
  (4) At any time prior to the commencement of a hearing as provided in this subdivision, the entity against which the commissioner has served an order may waive the hearing and have judicial review of the order by means of any remedy afforded by law without first exhausting administrative remedies or procedures.
  (c) If, after hearing as provided by subdivision (a) or (b), the charges, or any of them, that an entity has violated this chapter are found to be justified, the commissioner shall issue and cause to be served upon that entity an order requiring that entity to pay the penalty imposed by this chapter and such order or orders as shall be reasonably necessary to correct, eliminate, or remedy the alleged violations of this chapter, including, but not limited to, an order to cease and desist from the specified violations of this chapter.
  (d) In addition to any other penalty provided by law or the availability of any administrative procedure, if a carrier, after notice and hearing, is found to have violated this chapter knowingly or as a general business practice the commissioner may suspend the carrier's certificate of authority to transact disability insurance. The order of suspension shall prescribe the period of such suspension. The proceedings shall be conducted in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code and the commissioner shall have all the powers granted therein.

(a) Carriers may enter into contractual agreements with qualified associations, as defined in subdivision (b), under which these qualified associations may assume responsibility for performing specific administrative services, as defined in this section, for qualified association members. Carriers that enter into agreements with qualified associations for assumption of administrative services shall establish uniform definitions for the administrative services that may be provided by a qualified association or its third-party administrator. The carrier shall permit all qualified associations to assume one or more of these functions when the carrier determines the qualified association demonstrates that it has the administrative capacity to assume these functions. For the purposes of this section, administrative services provided by qualified associations or their third-party administrators shall be services pertaining to eligibility determination, enrollment, premium collection, sales, or claims administration on a per-claim basis that would otherwise be provided directly by the carrier or through a third-party administrator on a commission basis or an agent or solicitor workforce on a commission basis. Each carrier that enters into an agreement with any qualified association for the provision of administrative services shall offer all qualified associations with which it contracts the same premium discounts for performing those services the carrier has permitted the qualified association or its third-party administrator to assume. The carrier shall apply these uniform discounts to the carrier's risk adjusted employee risk rates after the carrier has determined the qualified association's risk adjusted employee risk rates pursuant to Section 10714. The carrier shall report to the department its schedule of discounts for each administrative service. In no instance may a carrier provide discounts to qualified associations that are in any way intended to, or materially result in, a reduction in premium charges to the qualified association due to the health status of the membership of the qualified association. In addition to any other remedies available to the commissioner to enforce this chapter, the commissioner may declare a contract between a carrier and a qualified association for administrative services pursuant to this section null and void if the commissioner determines any discounts provided to the qualified association are intended to, or materially result in, a reduction in premium charges to the qualified association due to the health status of the membership of the qualified association.
  (b) For the purposes of this section, a qualified association is a nonprofit corporation comprised of a group of individuals or employers who associate based solely on participation in a specified profession or industry, that conforms to all of the following requirements:
  (1) It accepts for membership any individual or small employer meeting its membership criteria.
  (2) It does not condition membership, directly or indirectly, on the health or claims history of any person.
  (3) It uses membership dues solely for and in consideration of the membership and membership benefits, except that the amount of the dues shall not depend on whether the member applies for or purchases insurance offered by the association.
  (4) It is organized and maintained in good faith for purposes unrelated to insurance.
  (5) It existed on January 1, 1972, and has been in continuous existence since that date.
  (6) It has a constitution and bylaws or other analogous governing documents that provide for election of the governing board of the association by its members.
  (7) It offered, marketed, or sold health coverage to its members for 20 continuous years prior to January 1, 1993.
  (8) It agrees to offer any plan contract only to association members.
  (9) It agrees to include any member choosing to enroll in the plan contract offered by the association, provided that the member agrees to make required premium payments.
  (10) It complies with all provisions of this article.
  (11) It had at least 10,000 enrollees covered by association-sponsored plans immediately prior to enactment of Chapter 1128 of the Statutes of 1992.
  (12) It applies any administrative cost at an equal rate to all members purchasing coverage through the qualified association.
  (c) A qualified association shall comply with the requirements set forth in Section 10198.9.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no provision of this chapter shall be construed to limit the applicability of any other provision of the Insurance Code unless such provision is in conflict with the requirements of this chapter.